Chapter 13 - The Mistress Had a Secret of Her Own
Lucas hired a private investigator named Daniel Ortiz, who had spent years examining corporate fraud and family disputes. Daniel did not dramatize his findings. He delivered them in a plain envelope and said, “You may want to sit down.”
Claire sat at Lucas’s conference table.
The first photograph showed Vanessa entering a private club on the north side. The second showed Richard Cole waiting inside. The third showed Vanessa holding a folder marked with the same LLC name that appeared in Ethan’s refinancing proposal.
“How long?” Claire asked.
“At least six months,” Daniel said. “Possibly longer.”
“They meet every two weeks.”
“Did Ethan know?”
“Not according to what we found.”
Lucas turned another page. “Richard has been purchasing debt connected to Cole Properties through an investment vehicle. If the company defaults, he can acquire the assets at a discount.”
Claire understood slowly.
“Vanessa is helping Ethan fail.”
“She may be helping Richard take control.”
“And Margaret?”
Daniel placed a second envelope on the table. “We found communications between Margaret and Richard.”
The messages were carefully worded. Margaret never said she wanted Ethan to collapse. She discussed preserving family assets, protecting the trust, and preventing outsiders from controlling the company.
Lucas read one aloud. “If Ethan cannot manage the transition, Richard must be prepared to step in.”
Claire looked at the words until they blurred.
Ethan thought he was betraying Claire for Vanessa. Vanessa was using him to destroy the company. Margaret was using both of them to keep the assets within the family.
“Why would Margaret allow this?” Claire asked.
“She may believe Richard is safer than Ethan,” Lucas said.
“She believes anyone is safer than me.”
Daniel looked at Claire. “There’s one more thing.”
He handed her an unmarked envelope that had been left outside his office that morning.
Inside were six photographs of Ethan and Vanessa. They showed the two of them at the hotel, in Ethan’s office, and entering the same private club where Vanessa met Richard.
Across the top photograph, someone had written:
You’re not the only one watching them.
Claire felt no fear. Only exhaustion.
“Who sent this?”
“No name.”
“Can you trace the paper?”
“Not reliably.”
Lucas studied the images. “The sender wants you to know they have access.”
“Or wants us to think they do.”
Claire placed the photographs in order. In one, Vanessa was handing Richard a small black drive. In another, Richard was pointing toward a document while Vanessa listened.
“What is on the drive?”
“We don’t know.”
Daniel tapped the final photograph. “But this was taken last night.”
The image showed Ethan entering the club alone.
Claire’s phone rang.
Ethan.
She answered but said nothing.
“Where are you?” he asked.
“Working.”
“With Lucas?”
“Why?”
“Someone told me you’ve been meeting him.”
“Someone tells you many things.”
“Claire, this is not the time for games.”
“I agree.”
“Are you planning to leave me?”
The question sounded less like grief than fear of losing control.
Claire looked at the photographs.
“You should ask yourself why I would stay.”
“I’m trying to fix this.”
“Which part?”
“The marriage. The company. Everything.”
“You can’t fix a thing while you keep hiding the reason it broke.”
“Who is Lucas to you?”
“A lawyer.”
“He wants you.”
Claire closed her eyes. “This is about you and Vanessa, not Lucas.”
“You don’t know what he’s capable of.”
“Neither do you.”
She ended the call.
Daniel gathered the photographs. “Do you want us to find the sender?”
May you like
Claire looked at the final image of Ethan walking into the club where his mistress was meeting his enemy.
“Yes,” she said. “Because whoever sent this may know how to bring the whole thing down.”
